“I do anything a normal person would do.  I play sports—a lot of them. Anything I like, I’ll do. I don’t let what I’ve gone through affect what I do in my daily life.”

Anisa Ashe

Thanks to her AFO, Anisa can embrace the sporting life.

On any given day, you can find Anisa out and about playing flag football, volleyball, baseball, soccer and basketball. So few people would ever suspect that she has Larsen syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects the development of bones throughout the body. Like many of our young patients, her orthotic journey began at Sick Kids, who referred her to Boundless.

 “Her condition is unique, not something medical professionals see on on an everyday basis,” her father Moe explains. “Boundless was able to constantly come up with unique solutions which they’re constantly adjusting to fit her needs.” 

Growing up, Anisa has had a lot of different types of braces, ranging from a full leg brace called knee-ankle-foot orthosis (KAFO)  to shoe lifts.  At one point in time, she didn’t wear a brace a brace at all.  But going brace-free was a mistake, Anisa admits, for her ankle started rolling over quite excessively, causing an imbalance in her hip, knee and back. So now she is back to wearing an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO), which has had a major impact on her mobility.

“When I wear the brace I’m able to do all these things people think I can’t do. I’m able to play sports, walk long distances, run, make sharp turns without worrying that my ankle is going to roll.”

Indeed, Anisa treats wearing a brace as being part of her daily routine—something she simply slips into her shoe everyday. She and her family also appreciate the fact that Boundless is always accessible when issues arise. For example, if she is having a problem with the brace—maybe it’s rubbing on her heels let’s say—they will always be able to see a technician or clinician to fix the problem.

What does the athletic Anisa see for herself long term? Continuing her relationship with Boundless and becoming an advocate for children with disabilities.

"I strive to be a role model in that I want to prove to people with braces that they're going to able to do anything they want to do. If you set a goal, you can achieve that goal, no matter whether people think you can't."